


Repression is a slippery slope that leads to emotions

by SparklingOrange



Series: I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure what you're suffering from is called "unconditional love" [1]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Ango McDango Needs a Hug, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Families of Choice, Family Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, and he gets one!! because I love my boy!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:40:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23160355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparklingOrange/pseuds/SparklingOrange
Summary: "We did it, sir," Angus whispers as he reaches the couch. He still can't quite get his brain to move past that. Fully processing the day's events is going to take time and probably several cork boards worth of notes connected by red yarn.Taako's mouth twitches upward in a tired smile. "We sure did, mijo." Fuzzily, Angus wonders what the word means, but he's too tired to devote much thought to it. Besides, it's barely a flicker in comparison to all the other new information he's received today.--5 times Angus wonders about Taako's new nickname for him + 1 time he finds out what it means.
Relationships: Angus McDonald & Everyone, Angus McDonald & Taako, Barry Bluejeans & Angus McDonald, Barry Bluejeans/Lup, Carey Fangbattle/Killian, Davenport & Angus McDonald, Hurley & Angus McDonald & Sloane, Hurley/Sloane (The Adventure Zone), Kravitz & Angus McDonald, Kravitz/Taako (The Adventure Zone), Lup & Angus McDonald, Magnus Burnsides & Angus McDonald, Mavis & Angus McDonald, Merle Highchurch & Angus McDonald, The Director | Lucretia & Angus McDonald
Series: I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure what you're suffering from is called "unconditional love" [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1865701
Comments: 258
Kudos: 589





	1. World peace + some god damn peace and quiet = cuddling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Steveniseternal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveniseternal/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which naps are taken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Looooooongtime reader, first time writer! :0 I can't believe TAZ is what finally pushed me over into Fanfic Writer Hell, but at the same time I can, because the McElroys own my soul, and Angus McDonald is my literal child. 
> 
> The usual disclaimers apply: I don't own these characters, TAZ belongs to the McElroys, yadda yadda yadda. Also, I have absorbed an ungodly amount of TAZ content in the past few months in a futile attempt to block out grad school responsibilities. This fic is a Frankensteinian conglomeration of all my favorite tropes, and it was probably heavily influenced by a number of fics/fan theories/art posts. Apologies if I stole your ideas—any plagiarism is unconscious and unwanted. Let me know if you would like credit for anything I inadvertently borrowed! 
> 
> Many, many thanks go to my sibling, [Steveniseternal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveniseternal), my beta reader for this and all other writing projects. Kev-Dawg, I'd be nothing without you. Keep on groovin'.

Angus has been having A Day. The world almost ended, but then it didn't, and suddenly these people he's been living with for nearly a year are multiverse-saving space aliens, and Taako has a sister (?) and a boyfriend (???), both of whom are some kind of powerful undead beings, and there's a baby voidfish, and—and—it's a lot for a little boy brain to process, is all, genius detective or no. 

Even now, long after Magnus swung Angus down from his broad shoulders and wandered off to help with the cleanup, all Angus can think is a litany of "we did it, we did it, we're alive, we did it." He's been helping Carey and Killian clear debris off the quad, putting Mage Hand to good use when his arms got too tired to lift anymore, but everyone seems to collectively decide that it's time to call it quits. "You did so good today, kiddo," Carey says, flashing a toothy grin. 

"Get some rest, Angus. You earned it," Killian adds as they join hands and begin walking back to their quarters. 

Out of habit, perhaps, he dazedly makes his way not to his own room, but to the somehow-intact THB suite. He finds the lights to the common room dimmed, and he can hear twin snores coming from the direction of Magnus and Merle's rooms. Kravitz is passed out at one end of the couch, mouth hanging open and head leaning on Taako's shoulder. Barry is on Taako's other side, and Lup is doing her best approximation of laying on top of them both, hovering against Taako's chest with her feet across Barry's lap. 

Though Angus tries his best to enter quietly, Lup and Barry look over at him, Lup's eyes glowing unnervingly through the gloom. It's hard to read their expressions, but they don't seem irritated that he's here. Still, Angus freezes for a moment, not wanting to disturb their little group. He wonders if he should just back out and go sleep in his own room. 

The decision is made for him when the door clicks shut behind him. Taako's ears flick at the noise, and his eyes flutter open and focus on Angus. He beckons Angus over with a sideways nod. 

"We did it, sir," Angus whispers as he reaches the couch. He still can't quite get his brain to move past that. Fully processing the day's events is going to take time and probably several cork boards worth of notes connected by red yarn. 

Taako's mouth twitches upward in a tired smile. "We sure did, mijo." Fuzzily, Angus wonders what the word means, but he's too tired to devote much thought to it. Besides, it's barely a flicker in comparison to all the other new information he's received today.

Taako nudges Lup with his elbow, his arm sinking into her spectral form. "Scootch," he tells her, smiling more as she grumbles and slides fully onto Barry's lap. Taako reaches out with the hand that's not wrapped around Kravitz, and it takes a moment for Angus to realize he's gesturing for Angus to climb onto the couch. 

"O-oh, are you sure, sir?" Angus whispers, glancing at Lup. "I didn't mean to bother—" 

"Agnes. I'm too tired for this. Get up here or don't, bubbeleh, makes no difference to me," Taako says. 

Lup snickers and whispers something in his ear, and Taako swats ineffectually at her. "C'mon, Angus," she says, turning away from her brother. It sounds like she's smiling. "It's nap time. Join the party." 

Reassured that Lup, at least, doesn't begrudge his presence, Angus situates himself between the twins. To his surprise, Taako shifts them around until Angus is cuddled in his lap, head on Taako's shoulder. Lup laughs again, joined by Barry's quiet chuckle. Angus is too tired to ask what's funny. 

"Can't believe he calls you sir," Lup mumbles. 

"Shut up," Taako says, making an aborted attempt to kick her that fizzles out when Kravitz stirs. 

"I mean, you," Lup continues, unfazed. "Sir. Has he met you?" 

Angus smiles softly as his eyes drift shut, letting the whispered bickering lull him to sleep. The last coherent thought he has is that this is what he's always thought a family should be like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hesitant to post a chapter of an unfinished fic for a number of reasons, but I also know that if I don't get this out into the world, there's a high probability that I will wuss out and never complete it. The main story is all planned out in my head, and a couple of the other chapters are partially/mostly written down. That said, feel free to chime in with thoughts about where you expect/want this story to go. I may go back and revise this chapter to make it fit with the rest of the story, so by all means, point out typos/plotholes/inconsistencies with canon. I am more than open to constructive criticism! 
> 
> Do please leave a comment/kudos if you enjoyed, as I'm currently trying to use the idea of a non-hypothetical audience to motivate myself to buckle down and write. Plus, I thrive on that good good validation.


	2. Introducing the amazing superhero/sidekick duo! It’s self-loathing and my inner demons!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I do a hit on the boy (he'll be ok, I promise).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Steveniseternal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveniseternal), galaxy brained: *an adorable, hilarious, insightful suggestion for the ending of this fic*
> 
> Me, duct taping my last two brain cells together: yes! And also...what if the chapter titles were CAH hands? 
> 
> Thank you SO much to everyone who has left kudos/comments and bookmarked this fic! YOU MAKE ME SO HAPPY! YOU ARE SO KIND! It's people like you who make the world go round, and I couldn't be more grateful.
> 
> Content warning in this chapter for some brief descriptions of anxiety, especially at the end (starting in the "Taako finds him one afternoon" paragraph). I don't think it's terribly graphic, but be safe! Let me know if you need more details.

By mutual unspoken agreement, everyone crashes at Taako's new house after the Day of Story and Song. There's plenty of room, of course—in typical Taako fashion, the elf would settle for nothing less than the biggest, most ostentatious house he could find. The veritable mansion quickly becomes a stopover for displaced Bureau members as the rebuilding efforts on the moonbase get underway. Angus thinks it's not about the space so much—if they really wanted to, everyone could stay in the non-damaged parts of the moon or even in local inns and taverns. People just like being close together in the wake of so much loss, he thinks. 

Slowly, though, the crowd trickles away. Lucretia goes first, as soon as the moon is remotely habitable. Angus is privately glad. The air between her and Taako has been frosty and tense, and Angus hopes that a little time and space will help them both in the long run. 

Avi moves into a nice studio apartment in Neverwinter, then Carey and Killian build their cozy cabin in the woods. Davenport goes off to travel the world amid a flurry of hugs and promises to write frequently. Merle leaves as soon as his house in Bottlenose Cove is ready, and Magnus moves out not long afterwards to start his dog school. None of them go far, and Angus comforts himself with the knowledge that they'll all visit often. If nothing else, everyone will surely get together next Candlenights. 

So the squirmy, unpleasant feeling in his gut isn't loneliness, and it isn't missing his friends. He knows what it is, but he shoves it down as much as he can. If he just doesn't acknowledge it, maybe it will go away. 

It's persistent, though. He passes an empty guest room in the hall and gets a little queasy. Taako mentions how quiet it is without Magnus' booming ruff boi voice, and Angus feels a peculiar prickling heat in his face, the blood rushing fast in his ears. It starts to hit him at random times, when he's organizing his books or looking over a case file or playing with a soccer ball in the back yard. Chest tight, fists balled, a creeping feeling of dread. Fast breath. Flip-flop stomach, flip-flop heart. 

It's just the five of them now: Taako, Kravitz, Lup, Barry, and Angus. It's Taako's house, and by extension Kravitz's: they're in the big master bedroom, Kravitz has an office and a music room, and people have started to say they're going to visit Taako and Kravitz, not just Taako. 

Angus knows Lup and Barry are a permanent fixture, too. The twins have always been a package deal, and Angus doesn't think Taako is ever going to let Lup out of his sight again after the whole "forgetting her existence" thing. Lup is the only one Taako trusts in his kitchen unsupervised. Barry is building a science lab in the basement. They're a family, and this is their home. 

But Angus is just some know-it-all child they picked up along the way. What was it the director had said? _A thorn in our side_. She meant it as a compliment, but Angus knows he has been bugging the reclaimer trio since day one. He's the pesky kid detective they couldn't get rid of, the little boy who followed at their heels and wouldn't take no for an answer. They've made no secret of how he grates on their nerves. 

He knows Taako cares about him now. Well. Taako tolerates him. He volunteered for magic lessons, at least. Back on the moon, he'd said he trusted Angus. And when he was saying goodbye, when he gave Angus the sheriff's badge, it had almost sounded like...he seemed like he was going to say...

Angus shuts that thought down as quickly as it comes. Whatever Taako said or didn't say, it was the heat of the moment. Everything felt scary and uncertain, and Taako was probably just trying to make Angus feel better. Nothing more than that. 

Taako's been nice to Angus since moving off the moonbase. They all have; no one has ever made Angus feel unwelcome in the house (except as a joke). But he knows it can't last, and it's this that sends him spiraling into panic at inopportune moments.

Sooner or later, the camaraderie that came from the near-apocalypse is going to wear off. The closeness of having gone through all that side by side, the sheer relief of finding friends not dead, the bonds forged in battle that brought everyone together afterward: it's all going to fade over time, and Angus will be to Taako and the others what he always was before: a nuisance, a mouth to feed, a liability.

Sooner or later, things will settle, and Taako will want to get on with the business of getting reacquainted with his family. He's spent twelve years away from his sister, twelve years with no memory of the people he lived with for a century. He's going to want to devote every waking moment to making up for that lost time. Somehow, Angus doesn't think he'll have time to teach cantrips and make macarons anymore. 

And sooner or later, Taako and Kravitz are going to want some alone time. They're a new couple, of course they don't want some kid intruding on their dates and taking up all the spare time they could otherwise spend together. And down the line, maybe, they'll want to start a family of their own, with their real child, one they actually wanted, one who's not an awkward, meddlesome nerd. Angus knows he will have no place here when that happens. 

The squirmy unpleasant feeling grows until it is a constant thing, reminding him that this is all temporary, that soon he'll be on his own again. It lurks at the back of his mind and springs up to choke his thoughts and make him dizzy with worry. 

Taako finds him one afternoon during an especially bad bout of the squirmies. He's in the little window seat in his room, knees hugged close to his chest, Caleb Cleveland novel forgotten on the cushions beside him. He'd been trying to read to take his mind off things, but he started thinking about how much he liked being able to sit in the window and look out over the back yard, and how it would be when he had to move out and couldn't do that anymore, and that sent him spiraling into thoughts of everything else he'd have to give up when it was time to go, and then it got very hard to breathe, and his ears started ringing, and his fingers felt fuzzy. Angus stares with unseeing tunnel vision at his hands clenched around his legs, feeling as though he's surrounded by oppressive darkness. 

He doesn't hear Taako come in, startles when he feels a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You alright, pumpkin?" Taako is smiling, but there's a nervous look in his eyes. "I've been calling your name for a while." 

Angus can barely hear Taako through the high-pitched sound in his ears, but he nods and smiles. "Sorry, sir. Just got a little lost in thought, I guess." 

Taako snorts. "More than a little lost. What's on your mind, boychik?" 

Angus shrugs, trying to come up with a good answer. "Mysteries?" he tries, wincing at how unconvincing his tone sounds. 

Taako's not smiling anymore. Oh no, he definitely knows Angus is lying. He's going to get mad, this is it, he's going to ask Angus to leave—

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, mijo," Taako says, softer now. "I'm just worried about you. We all are." 

Angus meets Taako's eyes. "Worried?" 

"You've been so quiet lately," Taako explains. "You've only been picking at your food these last few days, and I know that wasn't because you didn't like it. Everything Lup and I make is delish, natch." 

Angus smiles, a little more genuine this time. 

Taako perches at the end of the window seat, placing one hand gently on Angus' ankle. "You can talk to us if you need to, ok? I know I'm not..." his ears go pink, and he looks away. "I'm not the best with the touchy-feely stuff. Taako's good out here, and all that. But I get it if..." he trails off again, then looks back up at Angus. "The Hunger, everything that happened, it was really hard for everyone. I understand if you need time to work through it, but don't keep it bottled up." 

Apparently satisfied with this unprecedented nugget of wisdom, or perhaps unable to handle one more second of sincerity, Taako nods once and then hops off the window seat. As he strides out of the room, he calls back to Angus over his shoulder. "Came to tell you that Lup is organizing game night. Cards Against Faerûn tournament begins in 10, come down if you want." He closes the door behind him, leaving Angus alone in the quiet once more. 

It actually feels quiet, though. The fizzing, rushing, buzzing dread has calmed. His room is just a room again, not a swirling miasma of darkness. Angus takes a few deep breaths. The Hunger has been weighing on him—the idea that the whole planar system could be destroyed, just like that, is unsettling no matter how many times he tells himself the danger is gone now. That's not what caused this particular breakdown, but he's surprised Taako noticed. He reflects, not for the first time, that Taako is much more thoughtful than he likes to pretend. 

After a moment, he gathers himself. Book on the shelf, glasses wiped off, vest straightened. Back to normal. It's only as he's trotting down the stairs that he registers that word again—mijo. Taako had used it back on the Day of Story and Song, too. Before he can puzzle out the significance, he's drawn into the drama and chaos of game night with the twins. After a few rounds, his cheeks hurt from laughing. The worry from earlier—and Taako's anomalous vocabulary choices—have slipped from his mind entirely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in two days? What's that I smell? Is it...the scent of procrastinating via writing fanfic? Hahahaha no, no, it couldn't be...unless?


	3. My fellow Faerûnians: Before this decade is out, we will have puppies! on the moon!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author, like a harried pet owner attempting to administer medicine, sandwiches the angst in between fluffy dog scenes in the hopes that you won't notice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CAH chapter titles kind of sound like Gintama episode names lmao. 
> 
> Once again, THANK YOU for interacting with me & this fic so positively! You guys rock. I'm trying to find new and exciting ways to express "AHHHHH MY INSIDES ARE MELTING WITH JOY THANK YOU SO MUCH," but it's hard to do because, you see, my insides have melted with joy. 
> 
> As always, my sincere thanks and fond admiration go to [Steveniseternal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveniseternal). Thank you for being the bestest writing buddy a gal could ask for.
> 
> Content warning for brief, general mentions of anxiety in this one.

"Ango McDango!" Magnus scoops Angus up and flips him upside-down in one fluid motion, ignoring the tide of dogs that threatens to bowl them both over. "How've you been, kiddo?" 

Angus giggles, clutching at his glasses to keep them from flinging off his face as Magnus swings him a little for good measure. "I'm doing well, sir," he gasps out, laughing more as one of the dogs licks his nose. 

"Maggie, if you damage my boy I WILL sue you," Taako calls from the kitchen. He pokes his head around the door frame, jabbing at the air with a spatula for emphasis. "I'm not playing. And keep these mangy mutts away from my cooking!" 

"Aww, Taako, you know they're well trained," Magnus says, turning Angus rightside-up and plopping him down on the floor. With a whistle, he calls the dogs to attention, bending down to pet each one individually. 

"I swear, you have more of these creatures every time I see you." Taako sighs, placing one hand on his hip. "Agnes, did he jiggle the smarts out of your brain?" 

Angus shakes his head experimentally. "All smarts accounted for, sir." 

"Hmm," Taako says, squinting at Magnus. "Guess you got off easy this time." He goes back in the kitchen with one more suspicious glance at both of them. 

Angus tries to tamp down the warmth in his chest, but his mind won't stop replaying Taako's voice saying "my boy" over and over. He knows it's not like that—it was just Taako joking around with Magnus. At most, Taako was referencing the fact that Angus is his student. It doesn't mean anything, he KNOWS, but still...

Taako has been acting different lately. He still teases Angus, but none of the old sharpness is there. It feels like the same gentle ribbing he dishes out to Lup or Kravitz. And then there's things he does, like making Angus's favorite foods and tucking him in at night, that feel downright _parental_. 

Angus can't think like that, though. He knows he's getting carried away with daydreams about having a real family. If Taako knew, he'd probably get all uncomfortable, maybe even angry. 

That's why Angus can't tell anyone about the squirmy feelings of fear he gets when he thinks about leaving. If anyone knew how much he wants to stay, it would just make the whole thing even more awkward. Angus knows Taako has let him live here out of part kindness, part pity. No one has asked about his parents, but surely they're smart enough to realize that it's unusual for a little boy to go around solving mysteries on his own, more unusual still for a boy with a loving family not to seek them out after the world almost ended. Taako probably knows he has nowhere to go, and that's why he's let Angus stick around for so long. 

When Taako finally decides that enough is enough, he'll probably feel guilty about kicking Angus out. That's not what Angus wants. He's grateful for the time he's had here, really. He's already gotten more time with Taako and the rest than he ever thought he would; he always assumed that they'd all go their separate ways as soon as the last relic was found. Instead, they've given him food, shelter, and safety, even after the Bureau was disbanded and restructured. Angus is thankful, and he doesn't want leaving to be any more of an ordeal than it has to be. 

Sometimes he thinks he ought to just rip the fantasy band aid off himself. Bring it up to Taako one night over dinner, or even pack up his things and leave of his own accord. It might be better than this horrible waiting game, always wondering when the other shoe will drop. After all, the longer he stays, the more attached he gets, and the harder it will be to finally leave. 

But he can never bring himself to do it. As it turns out, the only thing worse than worrying about losing everything would be actually losing it. Finally, he resolves to just enjoy this time while it lasts instead of obsessing over its inevitable end. 

Easier said than done. 

He keeps a suitcase half packed under his bed and saves every penny he makes from his cases. When he feels the squirmies coming on, he forces himself to stop thinking about how much he will miss everyone when he leaves. Instead, he makes detailed plans, methodically writing down lists of places he can go and things he can do until the whooshing, fuzzy feelings go away. Strategizing helps calm him down, makes him feel like he has control over the situation. He's filled up half a notebook already, and even reading over the pages helps sometimes, reminds him that he was just fine on his own before, and he can be fine again. 

Sometimes he lays awake at night imagining what Taako will sound like when he gives him his marching orders. Will he regretfully try to ease Angus into it? Will he get fed up and just snap one day, screaming and throwing things until Angus runs away? Or will he never tell Angus to leave at all, instead going terse and distant until Angus gets the message? 

And Angus will go, setting one of his little anxiety plans into motion. He will quietly remove himself from their lives. Maybe he'll travel far, far away. Or maybe he'll just move across town, say he's busy with school, and visit less and less frequently. Eventually, he'll be lucky to see everyone at Candlenights. Then he'll gradually fade out of the picture until one year they forget to invite him, and he will be truly alone. 

But so what? He's here now, and that's not nothing.

Angus is shaken back to reality when Magnus claps a big hand down on his shoulder. “Wanna go out back and help me train the new blood?” He hefts a tiny golden retriever puppy in the palm of one hand. “I’ve been teaching this lil guy not to jump off of things. We can use the porch to practice!” 

Grinning, Angus follows him out the back door, only letting the screen door slam shut after all the dogs have streamed into the back yard. It’s late afternoon, and the day’s last sunbeams paint the world a brilliant yellow. Magnus’ hair is outlined in a shiny halo, and everything, even the bugs and dust motes drifting through the air, looks enchanted. 

They lose track of time, and before Angus knows it, the light has faded and the first fireflies are blinking in the trees. Angus looks up from where he’s being lightly mauled by a pack of adorable puppies to find Taako looking down on them from the porch, backlit by light from the kitchen. He’s got one hand over his mouth, and he looks like he’s trying not to laugh. “You good, pumpkin?” he calls, mirth clear in his voice. 

Angus gives a thumbs up from the middle of the dog pile. His arm is quickly swallowed by the writhing mass of fur. 

Taako does laugh now, a real one that rings bright across the yard. Magnus looks up from where he’s been intentionally losing at tug-of-war with a fluffy herding dog of some sort. 

“Dinner time?” he asks hopefully, taking a moment to pluck leaves out of his sideburns. 

“Mmhmm,” Taako says, still smirking a bit. “Come wash up, boyos. Mags, leave the dogs outside. I will not have a repeat of last time.” _Last time_ had involved a lot of Taako’s gourmet creations getting devoured underneath the table. Magnus claims to have had nothing to do with it. Angus, with his uncanny detective skills and also the fact that he’s spent more than two seconds in Magnus’ presence, can tell that he’s lying. 

“Aw, Taako!” Magnus exclaims, leaning down to one of the puppies and squishing its face a little. “You just want these beautiful babies to starve? Is that what you want? Does the mean elf man want you to starve all alone out here in the cold? Yes he does, yes he does!” He’s wiggling the puppy, which is smaller than his own head, back and forth. It looks ridiculous. 

Taako rolls his eyes and walks inside. A moment later, he reemerges with a stack of metal dog bowls, which he sets out on the porch. “Chop chop, big guy. Ya boy’s delicate frame is not built for hoisting bags of kibble. If you want to keep these creatures from _starving_ ,” he rolls his eyes again, “you better feed them yourself.” 

Magnus jumps up and dashes inside in search of puppy chow, looking not unlike one of the dogs he’d just spent the last hour “training.” Angus extricates himself from the canine tornado with considerable difficulty and makes his way up the porch stairs. 

Taako plucks a dog hair off his vest and holds it up disapprovingly. “You’re just as bad as Maggie, tracking a bunch of dirt and puppy gunk inside.” Then he smiles and lifts Angus’ cap to ruffle his hair (already plenty mussed from the dog shenanigans). “Did you have a good time, mijo?” 

“Yeah, it was fun!” Angus says, leaning in when Taako pulls him into a side hug and begins to walk back inside. 

As they settle around the table—Magnus at one end, Taako at the other, Barry, Lup, Kravitz, and Angus filling in the middle seats—Angus takes a moment to consider that word. It’s the third time he remembers Taako using it, and he still has no idea what it means. His detective instincts are perking up at the hint of a mystery to solve. 

Taako has lots of nicknames for lots of people. They’re not mean-spirited, necessarily, but most come with a certain level of derision. Even the more mild and heartfelt sobriquets are delivered with a healthy dose of sarcasm. Odds are, this is just another instance of Taako poking fun at him. 

What bothers Angus is that, while Taako refers to lots of people as things like “bubbeleh” and “my dude,” Angus is pretty sure he’s the only one Taako has used this particular nickname on. That leads him to believe that it’s an Angus-specific name, and his spark of curiosity is fanned by a wave of defensive indignation. It probably has something to do with him being a nerd or being small, the two easiest targets for Angus mockery. He sighs, jabbing his fork into his vegetables. Figures that Taako would invent or adopt a whole new word just to mess with him. 

He thinks back to the times he’s heard Taako use it. The first time, Angus had just made an obvious observation, so dazed that he had none of his usual brain power. Maybe this word just means something like “dummy” or “doofus?” The next time, Taako had used it when he caught Angus freaking out and then lying about it. Maybe it means something about being a worry-wart? Overthinking things? Being untruthful? Then tonight, Angus was acting silly and roughhousing with the dogs. Maybe it’s like calling him a goober? A hooligan? None of these options are very flattering. 

Of course, he could just ask Taako what it means, but he dismisses that idea as soon as it comes. The whole thing would be embarrassing, for some reason—admitting that he’s let this one little thing bug him, having to listen to Taako tell him directly to his face what aspect of his personality is being picked on. No, better to investigate this one on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look, another chapter only one day later. Surely that means I've completed all my work and now have oodles of free time to write self-indulgent fics? Yes, surely. 
> 
> (If I don't graduate it's Griffin McElroy's fault for weaving such a beautifully intricate narrative, and I will be seeking compensation.)


	4. Alternative medicine is now embracing the curative powers of soup that is too hot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Angus takes "being 'gifted' as a child and later having one's entire identity and self-worth wrapped up in maintaining perfection" to its logical extreme, and nothing could possibly go wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, a HUGE thank-you to everyone who has been leaving comments and kudos. My skin is clear, my crops are flourishing, etc., etc., etc. Between the global pandemic and final projects, this has been a stressful week. It has meant so much to check back in to AO3 and see your lovely words of encouragement! 
> 
> Shoutout to [Steveniseternal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveniseternal) for texting me back after I sent long rants about soup recipes at like 3 am. You a real one.
> 
> Content warning in this chapter for suuuuuper mild/brief descriptions of anxiety.

Angus has a new plan. 

All his life, he's been praised for being a smart boy. A well-mannered boy. A boy who's very mature for his age. Adults coo over him when he uses big vocabulary words, goes to a shop by himself, or remembers to say “please” and “thank you.” When he's older, these things will be basic expectations. For now, though, they make him stand out: a curiosity, a breath of fresh air among his more rambunctious peers. 

All he has to do, he decides, is be the _most_ smart, the _most_ well-mannered, and the _most_ mature he can possibly be. He will stay quiet and keep to himself, making sure that he's not underfoot all the time. He'll be careful to always clean up after himself and to take care of all his own needs, so that Taako will never decide he's more trouble than he's worth. He'll make himself simultaneously invisible and indispensable, staying out of the way until the opportunity presents itself for him to perform some service, like helping Kravitz track down a necromantic cult leader or carrying Taako's shopping haul inside for him. By the time it's no longer cute and novel to be the way he is, he will be so seamlessly integrated into life here that Taako will forget he's not supposed to be around. 

It's not like he'll be doing anything particularly difficult. He's always been bookish and self-sufficient. Being untidy makes him uncomfortable, and being impolite is nearly unthinkable. It's just capitalizing on his strengths, he reasons. All he has to do is keep from slipping up.

* * *

"Alright, boys. Lunch time," Taako sings out, interrupting Barry's animated lecture on the ins and outs of astrophysics. 

Angus blinks, looking away from Barry and the notes spread out on the table for the first time in what feels like hours. He's been so wrapped up in his science homework that he hasn't noticed the stiffness in his shoulders, the gentle rain tapping on the windows, or the incredible smells filling the kitchen as Taako cooked. All at once, reality snaps back into place, and he realizes it's already well into the afternoon. 

Across the table, Barry seems to be coming to a similar realization. He grins sheepishly as Taako ladles something into a bowl and carries it to the table. 

"Take a break, mijo," Taako says, resting one hand lightly on Angus' back as he sets a steaming bowl of French onion soup on the table in front of the boy detective. Then, louder as he spins away to grab a tray out of the oven: "Your nerd shit will keep until after you've tried these bomb-ass homemade Gruyere croutons. Only the best from ol' Taako." He plops a couple of baguette slices into Angus' bowl, setting them afloat with their cargo of cheesy goodness. 

“Thanks, Taako! It smells great.” Angus scrambles to collect his worksheets and notebook pages into a haphazard pile while Barry and Taako settle in with their own soup. The part of his brain that is always devoted to collecting and analyzing clues is already filing this incident away in his mental case file for the mystery nickname. 

It's Fantasy Spanish, he's reasonably certain. Angus is no linguist, but something about it just _sounds_ more like Fantasy Spanish than any of the other common languages he's heard. It would make sense, since Taako and Lup both grew up speaking the language. 

See, this is why Faerûn needs more schools with dual immersion programs. So many problems would be solved with multilingualism. Angus sighs. Of course his school had given them one measly year of Dwarvish, not even taught by a native speaker. The state of language education in this country is such a mess, a fact he’s reminded of every time he wants to go undercover as a half-elf or listen in on a perp’s conversation in Draconic. 

He's still not totally sure what the definition of the word is, but he can get the gist from context clues. As he deduced before, it must be some kind of teasing moniker that, for whatever reason, specifically applies to Angus. This time, he's pretty sure Taako used it in relation to Angus' nerdiness. Barry had been rambling on topics only tangentially related to Angus' assignments for ages, and Angus was rapt, jotting down notes and peppering Barry with questions. Taako must have witnessed the scene, and of course he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to call Angus out for being a dorkass dweeb (his words). 

It's not the worst thing he could be called, probably. Not even the worst thing he's been called by Taako. Still, it irks him more than the boys' goofs usually do. Something about how targeted it is has really gotten under his skin. He could ask Taako to stop, but then it would become a whole Thing. He'd rather just suck it up and let it blow over. 

He slides the stack of papers into his backpack, kicking himself for creating such a mess in Taako’s kitchen. He’s also probably been pestering both the adults with all his dumb questions, ugh. He mentally facepalms. How is he already this bad at keeping to the plan? He’s got to get better. There’s too much at stake. 

As he climbs back into his seat, he tries for some damage control. “Thank you for talking to me, Mr. Bluejeans. I really appreciate your help. Sorry if I was bugging you.” He blows on his soup and takes an experimental bite. It’s hot, but not enough to burn his tongue. It’s also one of the best things he’s ever tasted. 

Barry laughs. “How many times do I have to tell you, Angus. Just call me Barry.” 

Stupid, stupid. His instincts are to err on the side of respectful, but he _knows_ Barry prefers to go by his first name. “Sorry, sir.” 

Taako snorts. 

Barry sighs, but quickly brightens. “To tell you the truth, I wish I had more people to chat about science with, and you’re quite the intelligent conversation partner. You’re welcome to come hang out in the lab any time you want. We can do our ‘nerd shit’ without having to hear anyone’s rude comments.” He stares Taako in the eyes and pointedly slurps his soup. 

“Aw, what!” Taako sits up straighter, indignantly gesturing with his spoon. Brown droplets of soup flick onto the table. “I’ve known you for a hundred years and you _never_ let me in the lab, but the kid gets a free pass after like a day? Not fair, Bluejeans. This is nepotism! Fascism! Cruel and unusual punishment!” 

“It’s literally none of those things,” says Barry, face impassive. “I just know Angus isn’t going to pour all the chemicals into one bottle to ‘see what would happen.’” He raises an eyebrow and takes another meaningful bite of soup. 

Angus primly dabs at his mouth with his napkin, smothering a snicker. 

“That was one time! In like, Cycle 5! How can you still hold that against me?” Taako slumps back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Unbelievable. Whatever. D’jangus, you’ll report all his secrets back to me, right? Be my spy on the inside?” 

“Uh,” Angus says, not sure what the safest course of action is here. 

“Oh, leave the kid alone, Taako,” Barry says, rolling his eyes. “Besides, I don’t have secrets.” 

Taako points at Barry again, thankfully this time without using his spoon. “That’s exactly what someone with secrets would say!” He turns to Angus. “I’m just saying, boy wonder knows where his loyalties lie. Right, pumpkin? You wouldn’t turn against your dearest magical mentor, would you?” 

Angus is saved from answering by the familiar sound of a portal ripping open. Lup and Kravitz, who had been tracking a bounty together, step through. Their clothes and hair are slightly wet, and Angus notices that the rain has picked up outside. 

With a wave of his hand, Kravitz banishes the water from his person, transforming his robe into a suit and letting his handsome flesh face take the place of his skull. Lup, on the other hand, stands in the center of the room and shakes like a dog, getting water all over the kitchen.

“Babe, why,” Barry asks, in the same resigned tone he used with Taako a moment ago. 

“You’re a powerful lich wizard with spooky reaper powers. Prestidigitation is a fuckin’ cantrip. Could you, like, not?” Taako wipes the water off his face with more gravity than the situation warrants. 

Lup ignores them both, grinning and turning to Angus. “How’s it hanging, kiddo?” She moves behind him, leaning down to wrap her arms around his neck and blow a raspberry on his cheek. She’s been in her body for about a month, and so far she has been abusing this privilege by invading the personal space of everyone around her. 

“I’m doing well, Ms. Lup,” Angus says, unable to keep the smile off his face. He, for one, does not mind the twins’ clinginess one bit. It’s nice. He knows it’s just how they are, but it makes him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. After all, you don’t give hugs to someone you hate, right? Maybe it doesn’t mean much, but it at least reminds him that the twins have decided to tolerate his presence. 

Lup props her chin on Angus’ head. “Oh shit, bro! You made those cheesy crouton things? Hell yeah.” She lets go of Angus and spins over to Barry, hopping into his lap and snagging a spoonful of his soup. 

“There’s an entire pot on the stove,” Barry says, smiling and wrapping one arm loosely around Lup’s waist. “Get your own.” 

Lup brings another spoonful up to her mouth. “Mmm, soup,” she says, making no move to get off Barry’s lap. 

Taako rolls his eyes, then turns back to where Kravitz is standing over him. He leans up to give the reaper a quick peck on the lips. “Hi, honey. Good day at the office?” 

“Mmhmm. Got our bounty, and then on the way home we caught a bunch of kids trying to sacrifice a cat in the woods.” He shakes his head. “I think we scared them straight.” 

“Well, not too straight,” Lup chimes in. “Gay rights!” 

Kravitz nods, expression serious. “Indeed. Gay rights.”

Taako and Lup crack up, followed quickly by Barry. That’s all it takes for Kravitz’s expression to break, and he lets out a little laugh as he turns to take two bowls down from the cabinet for himself and Lup. 

As everyone tucks into their food, Angus takes a moment to just watch the scene around him. For the first time in days, he feels all the anxiety seep out of him, letting him enjoy the banter at the table without the horrid squirmy feeling in his stomach. He takes a bite of soup, and heat fills up his chest pleasantly. The rain outside is coming down in earnest now, but the kitchen is filled with warmth and light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick programming notes: the rest of this fic is mostly written and should be up soon. Also, you may have noticed the new title ("Ay, Mijito" was a placeholder from the get-go. This is what I get for uploading WIPs). I changed it to follow the format of the chapter titles because *drum roll, please* I may be writing a Taako POV companion fic in the near future, if that's something y'all would be interested in. The title for that one is probably going to be a CAH joke, and ya girl is all about that consistency and brand identity.


	5. Why can't I sleep at night? PTSD

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kravitz yeets the boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Home stretch, kids! As we near the conclusion, I just want to say, again, how much it has meant to me that you guys have stuck with it and kept showering me with such lovely comments. I love you all dearly! You fill my heart with joy and inspire me to keep writing! Thank you!!!
> 
> I would be remiss to post a chapter without thanking [Steveniseternal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveniseternal), smiter of typos and bearer of Good Ideas. Luv u, sib. 
> 
> Also, I realized I haven't been posting content warnings when maybe I should? I'll go back and do that. Please let me know if there's anything you need a heads up about or if anything in existing chapters merits a warning. 
> 
> In this one, there is a description of nightmares with blink-and-you'll-miss-it violence (skip the first few paragraphs if that bothers you) and some references to anxiety throughout. I don't think it's too heavy, but I know everyone is affected differently. Stay safe, my lovelies, and let me know in comments if you'd like more thorough warnings for anything.

Nightmares are nothing new to Angus. They typically follow a familiar structure: he watches one of the boys get hurt on a mission, calling out to warn them a second too late. There's a horrible moment where he can see the bloody gash across their chest, is running but can't reach them, and then he's in a dreamscape hybrid of his room and the Director's office. He can hear the reclaimers shouting through his stone of farspeech, but there's nothing he can do. The stone starts to crackle with static, the boys' voices getting farther and farther away—

He always wakes up before anyone dies. 

He's used to that one now. It's awful, but he can manage it. He looks around his room, reminds himself that everyone is fine, he's here, they're safe. After a moment, the panic subsides, and he's eventually able to get back to sleep. 

This one is different. 

It's the day the Hunger came. Black pillars shoot down from the sky, and the earth itself looks sickly and pale, the colors all leached away. Indistinct shadow monsters circle in Angus' peripheral vision. 

He's running towards something. He doesn't know what it is, but he knows he has to get there. Running, running, dodging shadows and flying debris. He's close. There—it's the _Starblaster_. Everyone is on board, not just the IPRE crew but the Bureau members as well, Avi and Killian and Carey and the rest. It's about to take off, but he's not fast enough. It's lifting into the air, he's running, running, calling after them to wait, please, come back. It's flying into the sky, far too far away to reach. He watches it shrink until it's a glint in the atmosphere, and then it's gone. The shadow monsters are closing in. Angus' wand is snapped in half and no magic will come out. This is it, he's all alone, no one to save him— 

He shoots awake. His sheets are twisted at the foot of his bed, his forehead damp with sweat. He sits there for a moment, panting and clutching his chest. Looks around, tries to calm himself like normal. He's here, in his room. It wasn't real, it wasn't real, it wasn't real. 

It doesn't work this time. He swings his legs over the side of his bed, rubs his face, jumps down and presses his feet firmly into the floor. Tries to breathe. Can’t breathe. Forces himself to breathe. Holds onto his own wrists so hard his fingernails leave marks. In, out. Come on, Angus, in and out. It wasn’t real. 

It felt real, though, and it keeps feeling real after he wakes up in a way that other dreams haven’t done before. He looks at his bookshelves and desk and floor, tells himself that he’s here, that’s not how the battle with the Hunger went. But he can’t shake the feeling that he’s not ok, that nothing will ever be ok again. It’s a horrible, certain dread, ten times worse than when he gets the squirmies. His room feels hostile, like there’s a force in the space itself that will drag him into more nightmares if he lets himself fall asleep again. After a moment’s deliberation, he pads out of the room and goes to get a glass of water. 

After he finishes drinking, he stands in the middle of the kitchen, staring into space. He tells himself that he just needs a moment to gather himself, then he can go back to his room. But when he decides his time is up, he can’t make himself move to put the glass down. 

He’s still stuck like that when the light switches on, startling him. He spins on his heel to find a pajama-clad Kravitz, dreads pulled back in a messy bun. 

“Angus?” Kravitz asks, rubbing one eye with the heel of his hand. “What are you doing up?” 

Angus snaps out of it and hastily moves to wash the glass in the sink, spattering himself with water in the process. “I’m so sorry I woke you up, sir,” he says over his shoulder. “I was trying to be quiet!” His heart is beating rabbit-quick in his chest. 

“Hey, hey,” Kravitz says, coming up behind Angus and switching the water off. “Let’s leave that for the morning. And it’s ok, you didn’t wake me up.” He has one hand on Angus’ shoulder and Angus, now without the glass to wash, doesn’t know what to do with his hands. “Even if you had...you’re allowed to get water, Angus. You live here, too, you know.” 

Angus wrings his hands together in front of him. “Sorry,” he mumbles, not sure what he’s apologizing for. 

Kravitz sighs, bending down on one knee so he’s on eye level with Angus. “Did you have a bad dream?” Kravitz rubs the back of his own neck with one hand. “It’s just, you looked kind of spooked there, bud.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Angus nods. He hates how childish it makes him sound, how stupid he is to let something like a bad dream get to him. 

Kravitz looks sympathetic. “Nightmares are the worst, huh? Do you want to talk about it?” 

Angus shakes his head. Revisiting the dream is just about the last thing he’d want to do even if it weren’t incredibly embarrassing. 

“That’s ok, you don’t have to,” Kravitz hurries to say. He eyes Angus seriously, then stands, seeming to come to a decision. “Right then. Sleepy time,” he says, scooping Angus up into his arms. 

Without thinking, Angus wraps his legs around Kravitz’s torso and clings to his neck, pressing his face into the Grim Reaper’s shoulder. Kravitz is right; it’s well past his bedtime. He still doesn’t feel ready to go back to his room, but it’s not so bad with Kravitz there with him. 

To his surprise, though, Kravitz doesn’t take him back to his room. Instead, he turns to head down the hall towards the master bedroom. 

“Sir?” Angus starts to ask, but Kravitz is already hooking his ankle around the door to pull it open. Taako looks up from where he’s been reading in bed, back pressed against an obscene amount of pillows. 

“Special delivery,” Kravitz says, and before Angus knows what’s happening, he’s being tossed onto the bed. He bounces once before sinking down into the blankets. “Did someone here order a very good boy?”

Taako laughs, tossing his book aside. “That would be me. Where do I sign?” He flings himself on top of Angus and begins relentlessly tickling him. 

“Sir, no—” Angus tries, words dissolving into giggles. “Please, sir—wait, Taako I—” Each time he tries to speak, Taako redoubles his efforts, and Angus finds himself gasping and trying to wriggle away. 

Kravitz chuckles, watching the scene. “Taako, let the boy breathe,” he demands in a faux-stern voice. 

“Ugh, fine,” Taako says. He stops his tickle torture, but doesn’t release Angus from where he’s pinned with his back to Taako’s chest, one of Taako’s arms firmly wrapped around him. “I was getting tired anyway.” 

It’s hard to tell from his vantage point, but he thinks Kravitz and Taako are having one of those silent conversations couples always do. He cranes his neck just in time to catch Taako raising an eyebrow and glancing down at Angus. 

Kravitz says something quietly in Elvish, and Taako squeezes Angus a little tighter as he responds. Angus pouts. He hates it when they codeswitch in front of him. It’s so obvious they’re talking about him and don’t want him to know. It’s not like he can’t put two and two together, either. He guesses Kravitz was explaining to Taako why he brought Angus in. Great, now Taako knows about his dumb nightmare, too. 

Noticing his sour expression, Kravitz laughs again. “We should all get some rest, don’t you think?” he asks, bending down to pick up Taako’s book from the floor and place it on the nightstand. 

“Good idea, my man.” Taako scootches down on the bed so they’re both laying down, wriggling until Angus is turned around and facing the elf. He puts one hand in Angus’ curls and gently pulls Angus towards him, propping his chin on Angus’ head. “Ay, mijito,” he murmurs, slowly rubbing Angus’ back with the hand not clutching his hair. “You’re gonna be ok. It’s all gonna be ok.” 

Kravitz flips the light off and climbs into bed on Angus’ other side. He puts his arms around Taako and Angus, pulling them in until Angus is comfortably squished between the two adults. It only takes a moment for Angus’ eyes to flutter shut. He doesn’t have any more dreams that night.

* * *

The next day, Angus is reading in the living room when he suddenly remembers what Taako had said the night before. At the time, Angus had been in a half-asleep fog. He hadn’t paid much mind to what was going on, but now he realizes that Taako had used a new word. Well, maybe a different form of the same word? What had it been...he wracks his brain, trying to recall both Taako’s phrasing and his own spotty knowledge of Fantasy Spanish. 

At that moment, Lup pops into the room—literally. He’s pretty sure she just used Blink to get across the house. “Sup, little man,” she greets him, flopping down on the couch and crossing her legs. She uses Mage Hand to grab a book of her own off the shelf, letting it fall open to a page marked with a fire-patterned bookmark. “Mind if I join you?” 

Angus shakes his head and smiles. He likes the company. It’s why he’d opted to read downstairs this time, rather than holed up in his room. 

“Sweet.” Lup turns her attention to the book, and Angus goes back to trying to puzzle out this new development in the Case of the Mysterious Nickname.

Actually...he doesn’t want to bother Lup, but she _is_ his best non-Taako resource when it comes to this stuff. “Ms. Lup,” he tries, hoping she won’t be irritated that he’s interrupting her reading so soon. “You speak Fantasy Spanish, right?” 

She looks up, and her expression doesn’t look angry or annoyed. Angus relaxes a bit. “That is one of my many talents, yes.” She grins. “Want me to teach you some cool swears?” 

“Oh, uh, no thank you, ma’am. That’s ok. I was actually wondering if you could explain something to me about the different word endings?” 

She nods, waiting for him to continue. 

“Well, for example, what does it mean if you replace the end of a word with ‘-ito?’” He’s pretty sure that’s what Taako was doing, now that he thinks about it. 

“Oh, that’s easy. It just means something is little. So like, if ‘la flor’ is flower, ‘la florecita’ is little flower. If ‘gato’ is cat, ‘gatito’ is…?” 

“Kitten?” Angus guesses. 

“You got it, detective!” Lup gives him a thumbs up. “There’s other meanings, too, like showing extra affection or calling something cute, but that’s the main one.” 

Of course. The reclaimers always razz Angus for being a very small boy. Last night, Angus had been acting particularly childish and vulnerable. Naturally, Taako had been inspired to add a diminutive suffix to his regular teasing. 

“Thanks, Ms. Lup,” he says, trying not to sound glum. 

“Sure thing. What made you want to know?” 

Angus scrambles for a second. “Oh, I don’t know. I’ve just heard people doing that and wondered about it.”

She shrugs and reopens her book. “Well, if you’re ever interested in learning more Fantasy Spanish, I’m your girl. We can use it like a secret language to talk about Merle and Magnus right in front of their faces.” 

Angus giggles at the thought. “Merle and Magnus never learned Fantasy Spanish in the whole century you guys spent together?” It seems improbable. 

Lup shrugs again. “I guess neither of them ever saw the point. Taako and I don’t really speak it as much anymore, so it wasn’t that important.” 

Angus considers this for a moment. “I think I would like to learn at some point. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, of course.” 

Lup is smiling, softer than her usual hell-raising grin. “It wouldn’t be any trouble at all. It’ll be fun.” A bit of mischief comes back into her eyes. “It’s about time I get to play teacher. Taako’s been hogging all my boy time with cooking and magic lessons. Can’t wait to steal you away and become your favorite twin.” She winks. 

Angus laughs, although the idea of being at the center of the twins’ competitiveness is a scary one. He’s sure Lup is kidding. Well, he hopes so anyway. 

They read together for most of the afternoon, occasionally sharing funny or thought-provoking passages with each other. When he first met Lup, he never would have imagined she’d be capable of sitting still for so long, but she turns out to be a calm, quiet reading buddy. As she finally gets up to leave, she ruffles his hair, as everyone seems so fond of doing. “We should hang out more like this, little man. And don’t forget, we’re gonna do Fantasy Spanish lessons soon. We’ll have you fluent in no time.” 

When Angus goes upstairs a few moments later, he makes sure to carry his book with him and to smooth out the cushions where he had been sitting. He’s been trying to be better about following his plan, but it’s hard to stay completely out of the way in a house where everyone is always on top of each other (sometimes literally). He doesn’t want to offend anyone by making it seem like he’s pulling away, but at the same time he worries that he’s a bother. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked Lup to teach him Fantasy Spanish. She hadn’t seemed to mind, but it’s hard to tell. Maybe she’d just been humoring him. 

Sometimes it feels like his life is one big game of Fantasy Jenga. He just has to tread carefully, building up a perfectly-balanced tower and making sure never to push on the wrong piece. It’s exhausting, but Angus knows he can do it. He’s always been good at Jenga, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus behind-the-scenes look at the text convos about this chapter: 
> 
> [Steveniseternal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveniseternal): describe Kravitz pjs I need to know
> 
> Me: I was picturing really basic sweatpants + Henley (Taako makes fun of him for being boring but also actively encourages the Henley because he is a THORSTY elf) (A thorsty elf who loves seeing his man be comfy and casual for once)


	6. What's that sound? Exactly what you'd expect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the truth comes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, here we go. 
> 
> You guys, the response to this fic has been absolutely mind-blowing. Y'all are all so sweet!! Also! I did not consider the repercussions of joining a familiar community and putting my work out there for others to see. I have read (and loved) practically all the fics in this dang fandom, so I keep recognizing usernames in the kudos/comments and going full-on embarrassing fangirl. If you've ever written a TAZ fic and you interacted with me at all here, rest assured that you sent me spiraling into a starstruck daze. It's horrible and wonderful and I love you all. 
> 
> [Steveniseternal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveniseternal), mi amor, you've kept me going through this whole process. Thank you for all you do. Stay sparkly! 
> 
> Content warning in this chapter for pretty severe anxiety/panic attacks.
> 
> And finally, let me throw this excerpt from Urban Dictionary here (for some spicy dramatic irony): "Mijo is among the chilliest Latino words to be called, the word itself carries a lot of love and affection towards those called by it. You know someone loves you when they call you mijo .. ;) It isn't heard of when there's heat, hate, or anger towards family members, the word carries too much love."

Angus is going over some notes for a case when Taako approaches him, looking uncharacteristically cautious. "Hey, pumpkin," he says, voice measured like he's about to give bad news. "Don't mean to bug ya, but do you mind if I sit for a second? Wanna talk to you." 

Heart racing, Angus shoves his notes aside and pulls his legs in, making room on the couch for Taako. He doesn't think he's done anything wrong, but he can't shake the feeling that he's in trouble. 

Taako sits, and there's a long moment of silence where the elf flexes his fingers, looks at the floor, looks back at Angus, and shifts in his seat. Angus grows more nervous with each passing moment. 

"Listen, um." Taako shifts again, and Angus wants to scream at him to _just get it over with_. "Ango, I...I'm just wondering if you're ok, I guess? First of all. I mean. Yes. Are you ok?" 

"Y-yes, I'm fine, sir. I'm not really sure what you mean?" 

"It's just that you've seemed kind of...off, lately." 

"Off, sir?" Angus' heart feels like it's going to jump out of his throat. 

Taako runs his hand through his hair. "Yeah, you know, withdrawn? Quiet? It feels like we hardly see you these days." 

"Oh." _Oh no, oh no_. Angus didn't think he was being that obvious, but Taako must be more observant that he gets credit for. "I've just been busy, is all." He gestures to his papers. "Lots of cases, schoolwork, you know." 

Taako doesn't look convinced. "Ok, well, you know you can always ask for help if you need it, right? We'd all be happy to work with you on cases, help you study, whatever you need." He smiles just a little. "I know we're not as smart as you, Mr. Big Brain, but we're not totally useless." 

"Oh, I know, sir," Angus hurries to answer. "I just don't want to bother you is all." 

Taako frowns, and Angus' stomach drops. What had he done to upset him now? "You're never a bother, pumpkin. You know that, right?" 

Angus does _not_ know that, but he nods anyway. Anything to keep Taako from getting more upset. 

To Angus' dismay, Taako is still frowning. "It's also...I know you've been having some trouble sleeping—" 

Angus cuts him off. "I'm doing better, really. It was just a bad dream." _Don't interrupt an adult, stupid._

Taako inhales, then lets it out in a long, slow breath. "Look, Ango, it's ok if you don't want to talk about it with me. Really, it is. But, uh," he pauses, and when he speaks again, it's in the kind of voice that one would use to talk to a spooked animal. "Here's the main thing I wanted to bring up today."

Angus is so queasy he wonders if he should get up and run to the bathroom.

Taako is twirling one long tassel from the collar of his blouse around his finger. "I think you should see a counselor." 

Angus' breath leaves him like he's been punched, and the roaring, ringing sound in his ears is back in full force. In his mind's eye, the Fantasy Jenga tower wobbles dangerously. Taako thinks something's wrong with Angus. Taako thinks Angus is so messed up, so broken, he needs expert help. Taako is willing to get him that help, but how long will it be before he starts seeing the trips to the counselor's office as a hassle, the money for the appointments as an undue expense? How long before he looks at Angus and only sees a burden?

Angus waves his hands in front of him as if to wipe the idea away. "No, no. I told you, sir, I'm fine. I don't need that. I don't—I don't need a counselor." He looks down at his knees. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Taako quit fiddling with the tassel. "Sweetheart, it's not a bad thing." 

Angus glances up at that. He doesn't think he's ever heard Taako call him that before. 

Taako's eyes are wide and concerned. "I promise I'm not suggesting this because I think something's _wrong_ with you or whatever. I just think—Ango, you're an eleven-year-old boy." He laughs a little. "You're eleven years old, and you worked for a secret organization that stopped the apocalypse. Before that, you were wandering around on your own solving grisly murders. It's a lot for anyone to process, especially a kid." 

Angus bristles, irritation pulling him out of his panic for a moment. He had thought Taako, of all people, at least understood that Angus was different from most children his age. Taako might make fun of him and call him all kinds of names, but at the end of the day, he trusts Angus. At least, Angus hopes he still does. "I can handle it. You know I can handle it." 

"Of course you can. But we all need a little help sometimes, right? Even grown ups." Taako is smiling, finally, but it's a sad, weak thing. "Just think about it, ok? It's your choice. It's always going to be your choice. I just want you to know that it's an option." He puts his hands on his thighs, sitting up straight on the couch. "If you want, we can look into it together, see what might be a good fit." 

Angus swallows, nods, tries to smile. "Thank you, sir. I'll think about it." 

Taako stands up, hesitating for a moment before patting Angus on the shoulder. "I'll leave you to it, then. Good luck with your case." 

As the door shuts behind him, Angus feels tears pricking at his eyes. He'd thought he was doing alright, but clearly he'll have to do better. He clenches his fists. He'll do better.

* * *

Angus has been looking forward to today for ages. It's one of the rare times when everyone is able to get together at once. Sure, they have various members of the old gang over fairly often. Angus spends most weekends hanging out with Mavis (and to a lesser and more stressful degree, Mookie), and he's spent the night with Magnus enough that the fighter has carved him custom bookshelves so he can keep some of his stuff in the guest room. Taako's house practically has a revolving door, and more often than not, Angus comes home from school to find assorted Bureau members hanging around and stealing food out of the fridge. 

But it's hard to get everyone in one place at the same time, and they haven't all been together since right after the Day of Story and Song. Today, though, the stars have aligned, and practically everyone is over at the Reaper Squad + Taako residence. Merle and Magnus are there, of course, Merle with his kids in tow and Magnus with a passel of dogs. Carey, Killian, and Noelle arrive together, followed shortly by Avi. Ren arrives with Roswell perched on her shoulder, and Davenport returns from his travels long enough to stop by. Hurley and Sloane take the day off from being a tree, and even Lucretia is welcomed (begrudgingly, in Taako's case) into the house. 

Taako decides to cook out, and he and Lup man the grill, Lup doing obnoxious fire spells to heat up simple foods like hot dogs. The adults stand around in loose circles, chatting and sipping their drinks. Klaarg is inside distributing oolong to anyone who wants it—and possibly some who don't but are too intimidated to turn him down. Mavis and Mookie rope Angus into a game of "exploding bean ball," a sport of Mookie's own creation. The rules are convoluted and terrifying, but somehow the game manages to be playable. Magnus breaks away to come watch after awhile, and Angus finally starts winning when he convinces the ruff boi to join his team. 

To his surprise, a lot of the adults pull him into conversations after the bean ball game wraps up and the three kids collect their plates from Taako. Lucretia spends a long time enthusiastically discussing their respective reading lists with him, and Avi takes a moment to ask how "the world's second-best cannon operator" is doing. Halfway through the afternoon, he ends up on Killian's shoulders for a while, hoisted above the party while she chats with Ren. Even people he hasn't gotten a chance to work with much, like Hurley and Sloane, ask him how school is going and want to know about his recent cases. 

He hadn't expected everyone to be so interested in him, if he's being honest. He's also surprised how many of them have apparently heard about him from Taako. Though he hasn't written anything about it in his letters—he doesn't want to be braggy, after all—Davenport congratulates him on his straight-A report card. Carey tells him she can't wait to get a chance to come to one of his soccer games, because she's heard he's the best on the team (he is most certainly not, but she won't hear his corrections). Lucretia asks about the friends he's making at school, which surprises him because he wasn't even sure Taako and Lucretia were on speaking terms. 

He's walking towards the kitchen to see if he can help with cleanup when Hurley snags his sleeve. She's been deep in discussion with Kravitz—they get along famously, since, as Taako pointed out with a wink, "they're both cops with an affinity for ravens"—but she cuts herself off to call out to Angus. "Hey, I forgot. You gotta show us some of your magic, kid! Taako goes on and on about how good you're getting." 

Angus' face heats up. "Taako said that?" 

Kravitz laughs. "Haven't you noticed? It's pretty much all he talks about."

Angus could fly, or curl up into a ball on the floor. Taako says he's good at magic, and not just to make Angus feel good. He says it to other people, which means he probably means it. It sounds like he talks positively about other things Angus does, if this evening is to be believed. Taako is...proud of him? Angus needs a moment. 

He doesn't get one, though, because Hurley and Kravitz are looking at him expectantly. "So?" Hurley asks. "I wanna see this good good magic I've heard so much about." 

Angus leans into his embarrassment and desire to have people stop _looking_ at him, opting to turn himself into someone whose face doesn't feel like it's on fire. He casts a passable Disguise Self, feeling long hair stream out behind him and a leather jacket form around his shoulders as he transforms into Sloane. 

Hurley bursts into applause, followed by a grinning Kravitz. "Oh shit, you totally nailed it. Babe, get over here! Angus is you!" 

Angus, ready to faint from happiness or the strain from too much attention, dips into a cheesy bow when Sloane comes over and joins in the applause. 

He straightens, letting the disguise drop. "That one's pretty good for detective work," he says, rubbing his arm sheepishly. 

"I bet! That was sick." Hurley reaches up for a high five. 

Angus obliges, smiling. Being the center of attention is nerve-wracking, but it's nice to be appreciated like this. He won't lie, having everyone fawning over him all night has been pretty fun. 

As the evening wears on, people peel off in small groups. Sloane and Hurley are the first to go, citing an early Battle Wagon race the next day. When Kravitz offers to make them a rift home, Carey announces that she and Killian should probably go, too. 

"Let's go, lesbians! Let's go," Noelle says with a laugh as she gets up to follow the other four out. 

"Gods, I wish that were me." Lup, perched on the armrest of Barry's chair, turns to her husband. "Babe, you know I love you and like men in general, but I'd give up all we have in a heartbeat for the chance to be part of a horde of lesbians." 

Barry doesn't even bother pretending to be offended. "I know, honey, and I support you in that," he says, pushing his glasses up his nose.

As people trickle away, Angus starts feeling more and more anxious. There's no particular reason, which makes it more frustrating than usual. Sometimes he just gets the squirmies randomly, and with no obvious catalyst he is left with no way to pull himself out of it. He feels even more helpless and out of control without an immediate threat or problem to focus on. 

He was doing so good today, too. Now that there are fewer distractions, though, fewer people keeping his attention with games and conversation, a sickly, illogical dread settles over him. He doesn't know what he's afraid of, but he knows for sure that something bad will happen, and there's nothing he can do to stop it. 

He sits near the top of the stairs to the second floor and absently rubs his hands in the carpet. The worst part is that now he feels like he's not appreciating this precious time enough. Everyone is together, and he's squandering the last few minutes of it alone on a staircase. After he had such a good day, he's letting his stupid anxiety ruin it. That thought makes the tingling, unsettled feeling even worse, and then he gets anxious about the increased anxiety, and it's a terrible cycle. 

Finally, he makes himself get up and rejoin the party. Most people have gone home by now. Mavis and Mookie have been put to bed in one of the many guest rooms. It's just the Seven Birds and Kravitz now, seated around the table with empty dessert plates and a forgotten card game spread out in front of them. 

Angus feels...fragile. Brittle. His fingers and toes are numb, and that old familiar buzzing in his head is making it hard to focus. He shuffles into the kitchen, trying not to seem too weird. 

"Hey, D'jango!" Magnus calls when he's in the doorway, alerting the room to his presence. 

"Thought you went to bed, bud," Barry says, not unkindly. 

Angus shakes his head. Talking feels out of reach at the moment. 

"Where've you been, little man?" Lup leans back in her seat, only stopped from tipping backwards by Lucretia's arm, which shoots out automatically. 

Angus shrugs. "Just went upstairs for a while." In the most technical sense possible, it's not a lie. 

Taako reaches out one arm, and Angus walks to where he's sitting, falling into a half hug and smushing his face against Taako's chest. Taako kisses his forehead. "Have a good day?" 

Angus looks up and smiles, only partway faking. "Yes, sir! It was great to see everyone today. I've missed having them all around." 

"Me too, bubbeleh." He rubs up and down Angus' arm a couple of times, then moves to stand up. "Anybody want more of anything? Ango, did you get any dessert?" 

"No, sir, but I'm ok. Not really hungry right now." That's an understatement. Angus doesn't think he could keep a piece of toast down at the moment. 

Taako opens his mouth as if to say something, then closes it and shrugs. "Your loss. Leftovers'll be in the fridge if you want some tomorrow." 

As Taako pulls fantasy cling wrap over the pies, brownies, and other baked goods that litter the countertop, Angus starts collecting people's plates and glasses. His hands shake as he puts the first stack in the sink. He still feels wobbly and breakable, but he can help with this. 

"Here, can you stick this on the top shelf of the fridge for me?" Taako spins, handing him a ceramic baking dish loaded with blackberry cobbler.

It's not that Angus fumbles and doesn't catch it, and it's not that it's too heavy for him to hold. He has it fully in his grasp and has begun to walk towards the fantasy refrigerator when suddenly it's like his hands just give out. The signal from his brain that tells his fingers to stay wrapped around the handles gets scrambled, and without warning he lets go. The dish plummets to the floor and shatters, splattering dark purple goo all over the fantasy linoleum. 

For a couple of seconds, everything is quiet. Angus stands frozen, staring down at the sticky ooze at his feet. Then everyone in the room seems to catch up with what happened at once. 

"Angus, are you alright?"

"What happened? Did you slip?" 

"Yikes! What a mess." 

"You ok, bud?" 

"Did it cut you?" 

Within moments, Angus is surrounded. Everyone is asking questions and reaching out towards him. He can't breathe. He just spoiled everything. Taako will be so mad, will realize that Angus is just a stupid kid who causes too many problems to be worth the trouble of keeping him around. Taako's going to kick him out. The Jenga tower crashes down. Game over. 

When he finally draws in air, it hitches in his chest, and he realizes he's crying. When did that happen? 

"Everybody, back off! Ango, pumpkin, are you hurt? Let me see." Taako has pushed between the IPRE crowd and is kneeling in front of Angus, heedless of the berry stains he's getting on the hem of his skirt. "Oh, gods, Krav, I think he must have cut himself. Ango, what hurts, baby?" 

Angus didn't cut himself, but he can't stop crying long enough to form the words to say so. He just stands there, sobbing like a toddler, useless and mute. 

"Ok, ok. We need...bandages, yeah. Kravitz, where the hell do we keep first aid supplies?" Taako's voice is even higher than usual, and he flutters his hands around Angus like he's afraid to touch. 

"Master bathroom," says Kravitz's voice from somewhere above him. 

"Master bathroom. Right." Taako stands, carefully picking Angus up and rushing him towards his and Kravitz's room. "Merle, get your cleric ass in here and heal my boy," he calls over his shoulder. 

Angus is gently placed on the edge of a bed, and he distantly registers Kravitz entering the room and crossing to the bathroom, followed by Merle's grumbling as he clomps down the hallway. 

"What do you want me to do?" Merle asks, a hint of something in his voice—irritation or worry, Angus can't tell.

"I don't know, you're the cleric. Cure Wounds?" Taako, having deposited Angus on the bed, is kneeling in front of him again, one hand on Angus' knee.

"Doesn't look like there's any wounds to cure," Merle observes, crossing his arms. 

There's water running, and then Kravitz returns with a damp washcloth, which he hands to Taako. 

"Ok, sweetheart. Where does it hurt?" Taako is clearly making an effort to keep his voice calm now. As he speaks, he wipes gently at Angus' face with the washcloth. "You gotta tell me what hurts so we can fix it." He sits back on his heels and switches to washing off the sticky purple cobbler gunk that apparently got on Angus' legs, furrowing his eyebrows when doing so doesn't reveal any slashes or scratch marks. 

Angus still can't think of how to talk. His head feels almost like voidfish static. He wraps his arms around himself and sobs. 

Kravitz comes out of the bathroom again, this time with an armful of fantasy antibiotic ointment and bandages. He stands awkwardly behind Taako, looking from him to Merle to Angus and back again. 

Merle huffs. "Kid, did you even get hurt? What happened back there?" 

Angus shakes his head, trying to indicate that he can't talk. 

"Alright, I know what you need." Merle stands up straighter and lifts his arms ceilingwards. "I cast Zone of Truth," he announces. 

Angus is too distraught to shake off the spell with his usual ease. Before he really knows what's happening, he feels a tug in his chest, a compulsion to _tell the truth_. 

Taako and Kravitz both have the glazed expression that tells Angus they, too, failed to dodge the spell. "What the fuck?" Taako twists to face Merle. "We're not trying to interrogate the kid, jeezy creezy. What kind of shit cleric are you?" 

"What? I'm trying to help him open up!" Merle spins on his heel, indignant. "You're the one who asked me to come in here. If you don't want my help, then fine!" He draws the vowel out, a sing-song mockery. _Fiiii-iine_. "I'll just go then." He throws his hands up and stomps out of the room, letting the door fall shut behind him. 

"You could have cast Calm Emotions, you utter ding dong!" Taako shouts after him. There's no response. 

Taako turns back to Angus, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That fuckin' dwarf, I swear to Istus." He sighs, dropping his hand, expression more serious. "Ok, pumpkin. You don't have to answer if you don't want to," he says, meeting Angus' eyes and holding his gaze. "But can you tell me what's wrong now?" 

It's too much. Angus can't hold himself together anymore. He opens his mouth and feels Zone of Truth pulling his answer from him, spilling it irrevocably like the cobbler from the broken dish, a tidal wave of everything he's been trying to keep hidden. 

"I b-broke your dish and wasted food and made a mess and now I'm so sc-scared because I've been trying to be good but I ruined it all and I know you'll be mad and you'll send me away and I won't have anywhere to go and I'll be all alone and I can't st-stand it, I can't stand losing all of this, I don't want to go, please don't s-send me away!" He's still crying, and he hates the way it makes his words catch and stutter.

"Send you away?" Taako's eyes are wide. "What are you talking about?" 

"I know I've al-already stayed longer than everybody else and I know you probably don't want some dumb k-kid hanging around all the time and you must wish I would hurry up and get out of your hair so you can spend more time with your real family b-but you guys are all the family I ha-have and I don't w-want to leave! And I've been trying so-s-so hard to show you that I can be helpful and mature but I'm so nervous all the time and I g-get these awful feelings, like tonight after ev-everybody left I started feeling just sick with it, and I don't know what to do b-because I'm trying to be nor-normal but I can't stop being anxious and-and I wish I could talk to you but I don't want to bother you with my little boy problems so I'm trying to keep it to mysel-myself but then you think I'm acting weird and you want to send me to a counselor and—and—"

"Oh, mijo." When Angus looks up, Taako and Kravitz are both staring at him with concern all over their faces. Taako has his hand over his heart, and Angus is surprised to see tears in his eyes. "Mijito—"

"And! You keep using that word, and I don't know what it means, and it's stressing me out on top of everything else, and I—" 

"My son." 

"What?" Angus is startled enough that he stops crying, just for a minute. He hiccoughs when he tries to breathe, loud in the silence.

"Mijo. It—it means 'my son.'" The tips of Taako's ears are red. "I mean, it can refer to any younger male relative, or really anyone you love and care about a lot, but when I say it I always mean it literally." 

"What?" Angus' vocabulary has been reduced to one word, apparently. 

"Mijito is just a more loving version," Taako mumbles, tugging on his ear. "It's like saying 'sweetie' or 'my dear little son' or...yeah. It's a term of endearment." 

Kravitz finally sets the first aid supplies down on the nightstand and moves behind Taako, putting one hand on his shoulder. 

Taako doesn't look away from Angus, but he leans into the touch. He seems to brace himself, inhaling once through his nose. "Ok," he says, sitting up straighter. "You've talked a lot. Now it's my turn."

He reaches out, taking one of Angus' hands in his own. "First of all, you are so important to me, Angus. You...I've thought of you as so much more than just _some kid_ for a long time now. You have to know that. Even back on the moon, I started to see you as more than just my student." 

Angus is crying again. He doesn't know what to say. 

"You're _my_ kid, Angus. You're my kid, and I love you so much. You think I'd give you up over some stupid dish?"

Angus sniffles. He's having trouble processing what Taako has been saying, but he manages to mumble out, "'snot stupid. It was Fantasy Williams-Sonoma." 

Taako's mouth quirks up, though his eyes are still watery. "Kiddo, even if it were a priceless antique or a treasured family heirloom, it still wouldn't matter. Compared to you, it would always be just a stupid dish." 

Angus' heart feels full. He still can't respond, but somewhere in his mind he registers that that's one of the nicer things anyone's ever said to him. 

Taako is rubbing his thumb back and forth against Angus' hand now. Angus doesn't know if he even realizes he's doing it, but the effect is calming. "Ay, mi vida, mi cielo. There's nothing you could ever do to make me send you away. You hear me? Nothing. No power in the planar system—in any planar system—could ever take you from me. I wouldn't let them." He's crying openly now, not even bothering to wipe his eyes. "I would fight them to my dying breath." 

Angus abruptly remembers the truth spell, and he starts crying even harder. Taako really means it. Everything he's saying, he really means it.

"Angus, you are so special, and so, so loved. Not just by me—everyone out there would kill and die for you." Taako gestures vaguely towards the door to indicate the other occupants of the house. "And it's not because of anything you do, either. It's who you are, pumpkin. Wonderful, brilliant, kind, Angus McDonald."

"We all love you," Kravitz cuts in. "Everybody who knows you cares so much about you." 

Taako nods. "We're so proud of you, Angus. And we'll be proud of you no matter what. You could be a detective or a wizard or a professional fucking wrestler, for all I care." He laughs a little through his tears. "You will always be our boy." 

Angus feels months of tension float out of his body, dissolving like smoke. It's a physical thing. His chest unclenches, the muscles in his back relax. It's like he can breathe properly for the first time in a long time. Taako loves him. He guesses he's always known that Taako cared about him in some capacity, but this...Taako sees Angus as his son. Angus is suddenly viewing all their interactions since being on the moon together through a new frame, and it's like everything slots into place. Without warning, he slides off the bed and into Taako's lap, wrapping his arms around the elf's neck. 

"Oof," Taako says, shifting so they don't fall over and twining his arms around Angus. "Yeah, c'mere, buddy. There we go." 

Kravitz kneels down next to them, placing one hand on Angus' back. "You never have to earn our love, Angus," he says, voice steady and gentle. 

Taako pulls back a little so he can look Angus in the eyes. "Yeah, this shit is unconditional, homie. Sorry, but you're stuck with it, like it or not." 

A laugh bubbles up, and Angus lets it out, unrestrained. He feels light, like if Taako let go of him he'd float up to the ceiling like a balloon. He clutches the fabric of Taako's sweater in his fists as if to anchor himself. 

"You _are_ a part of this family," Taako says, voice uncharacteristically serious. "You will always have a place here, if you want it." 

Kravitz nods in agreement, offering Angus an encouraging smile. 

"I do want it," Angus chokes out, laughing and crying all at once. "I—I love you so much. Both of you," he adds, looking over at Kravitz. 

"I love you, too," Taako says softly, at the same time that Kravitz says "And I love you, Angus."

* * *

When they emerge from the bedroom a few minutes later, faces wiped clean but noses suspiciously sniffly, they find everyone still gathered in the kitchen looking worried. Magnus leans against the counter, and Lup paces back and forth, hugging her arms to her chest. Barry's leg jiggles under the table where everyone else is seated. 

The floor is spotless, and the pieces of the baking dish have been magically melded back together. The good-as-new dish is sitting on the counter. 

Lucretia looks up as the trio walks back in. "Everything ok?" she asks, calm demeanor belied by the iron grip she has on her teacup. 

"Everything's great, ma'am," Angus says from his place between Taako and Kravitz, taking hold of both their hands. "We just needed to talk some things out." 

"Ha!" Merle stands up and points at Taako. "What did I tell you? But did you listen to old Merle? Noooooo. No one ever thinks I know what I'm doing, but—" 

"Hey, Merle," Taako says, cutting him off. "Thanks." 

Merle splutters for a moment before crossing his arms and giving a grudging nod of acknowledgement. 

"I'm just glad you're ok," Lup says. "We were all worried aboutcha, little man." 

"Yeah, you freaked us out, kiddo!" Magnus adds. "You know we all love our boy." 

"Yeah," Angus says, looking around the room at the faces of his family. "I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! For now, at least. ;) 
> 
> Would you believe I thought this whole fic was going to be about 3000 words when I started? Would you believe I thought this chapter would be roughly the same length as all the others? Brevity? Consistency? I don't know them. 
> 
> Please look at this Very Good alternate ending, courtesy of [Steveniseternal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steveniseternal):
> 
> "what if the way he finds out it means specifically 'my son' is in the end Taako (and Kravitz obviously) surprises him with adoption papers and says something to the effect of 'now you can be my official mijo.' And Angus, whose Spanish class didn't go into detail on that word, has to take a moment to be like '????? Sir this is very nice of you but, what does that mean?'" 
> 
> One more time, I want to thank everybody for their investment in this project. This is the first time I've ever written fanfic, the first time I've finished a whole writing project in a long time, and the first time I've shared my writing with a non-sibling audience in like 2 years. It sounds corny, but y'all have inspired me to write more and given me something positive to pour my energy into during this strange, uncertain time. Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.


End file.
